admin

This is the perfect little pan cake…the one I’ve been eating for as long as I can remember.

This cake goes by many names. It is “the guests are coming for the weekend” cake and “the cake that won’t dry out, even on day 3” cake. Sometimes it’s referred to as “the cake that sits on the counter with the knife lying in the pan” cake (that’s because people come back for another piece, then another and another, what’s the point in putting the knife away). In November, we call it “my brother’s Birthday cake” (he doesn’t like sweets or cake but eats this one).

For a change of pace, try this recipe instead of a brownie. I think you’ll like it.

Polka Date Cake

Ingredients
Cake
3/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cup boiling water
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp cocoa
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Topping
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans)
3/4 cup (6oz) dark chocolate chips

Directions
In a small bowl, pour boiling water over dates and let sit until cool (the dates and water will be added to the batter).

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well.

In a medium bowl, mix flour with baking soda, salt and cocoa.

Add dry ingredients and dates (alternating) to wet mixture. Be sure to start with the dry ingredients and end with the dry ingredients.

Pour batter into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Sprinkle topping over the batter.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes.

Strange but true, I need to get my hands on a banana cookie cutter because I’ve decided to make banana-shaped sugar cookies for Caden’s 2nd birthday. Why bananas you ask? Well, to go with the Monkey cupcakes, of course.

Since this is probably the last birthday I will be given free reign to do what I want (Caden can’t say Spider-man or Thomas the Train yet), I’ve decided to do a Monkey-themed party in honor of my “cheeky monkey”. Yes, monkey cupcakes and banana sugar cookies will be the stars of the show. ..and yes, yes you will see it all unfold.

Last week, I visited my favorite kitchen store “in all the land” in the hopes of securing the elusive banana cookie cutter. The store, Gourmet Warehouse, contains an amazing array of kitchenware, food and cooking utensils. I LOVE this place.

It is accurate to say that they had more than a few cookie cutters on display. I grabbed a super cute tool set (that would have been awesome; a hammer, screw driver and saw). Then I grabbed a stiletto cutter (adorable but there’s no way I could explain that one to Caden, he’s not a shoe guy). Come on, Andrea, stay on target, stay on target, girl. Hmmm…there was a moose, salmon, cactus, musical note, dinosaur…no, no, NO!

Although torn, I stood my course. This is a fabulous place to find the cookie cutter of your dreams but alas, not if that cookie cutter is a banana.

Therefore, on to my backup plan…the Internet. After about 3 minutes sitting at my computer, I came up with the perfect cutter at cookiecutter.com. The cookie cutter is $1.89 US and the shipping is $3.45. How funny is that, the shipping is almost twice the price of the cutter? But…WAH… I really, really want it! I’ll need to do a little more surfing to make sure this is the best deal (how ridiculous is that?) and then I will make the final executive decision.

You’d think I have nothing but time on my hands. Actually, I’m very busy but I find this stuff relaxing, almost therapeutic. The birthday is in August and I find that if you chip away at the “bits and bobs” late at night (when you can’t sleep) it’s less stressful closer to the date.

One item down, a million more to go.

Gourmet Warehouse
1340 East Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC V5L 1S3

Grab your conductor’s hat, Thomas the Train is coming to town

Polka Date Cake: The perfect little pan cake

In search of a banana cookie cutter…yes, I said banana